11 June 2004
Madam Speaker
Deputy Speaker
Ministers
Deputy Ministers
Honourable Members
Comrades and Friends
Introduction. {Xitsonga}
Firstly I want to congratulate the Minister Mrs. Nosiviwe Mapisa - Nqakula on your appointment, also congratulate the Deputy Minister Malusi Gigaba.
We are fresh from the third democratic elections. These elections are regarded as one of the best ever organised elections in this country. We should give thanks to the Independent Electoral Commission {IEC}. We should thank the Chairperson, Commissioners, Staff in the IEC offices and every other IEC officials that made it possible to run smooth elections and our people in general for their participation in these elections.
The Role of the Department in ID campaign.
I want to thank the Department of Home Affairs for their role in providing eligible voters with their Green Bar-coded Identity Documents. I want to thank also the members of the then Portfolio Committee and members of Parliament for their role they have played in mobilising our people for the ID campaign. Allocation of the R30 Million from Treasury came at a right time and came as a relief. Minister I want to make this call that all South Africans who do not have the Green Bar-coded to make the necessary arrangement to get them. Over a million South Africans do not have these ID's.
The department of Home Affairs is central to government service delivery, national security and crime prevention and combating crime. It is the window that our government is viewed by our foreign guests.
Lastly but not least we want to thank the political parties for the role they have played in ensuring that our elections are free and fair. Our democracy is maturing with time. We thank our people for the commitment they have shown in maintaining our democracy. This is the same commitment, which they displayed during our struggle against apartheid. The world over has expressed confidence in the manner we have handled our elections.
The budget.
The budget for the Department of Home Affairs this year is little more than R2.2 billion. Slightly more than the last year's allocation. It is also projected that in the next three years the budget allocation will continue to grow. The Portfolio Committee welcomes the increase yes we would have loved to get higher increase than that but we understand that the resources are limited and the wants are unlimited. Over the last four years the budget of the department has been increasing. The first three programmes have been experiencing real growth in their budget allocation over the alat four financial years. Auxiliaries and Associated Services not always has a budget increase and its increase depends on the election cycle. We welcome the allocation of R850 Million over the next three years for service delivery in rural areas.
The department has to divide the budget allocation to the four programmes that the department has. Those programmes are the following:
Administration. {Sesotho}
This programme is responsible for the overall administration of the department. It has a number of sub-programmes. The key ones are the following:
The budget allocation for this programme overall is about R290 million. This amount should also help to fund the filling of critical vacancies that exist within the department. Yes this might not be enough but we hope that the department will creatively use this allocation.
Service to the Citizens.
It is imperative that citizens should not be disadvantaged when it comes to democratic processes of our country. Clarification of citizenship is critical to the well functioning of our democracy and enables the citizens to access services rendered by the government.
This programme has three sub-programmes, travel and passport matters, citizenship concern matters and population registration.
The most critical sub-programme in this programme is the one on population register. As we have indicated during the budget debate last year that our population register is not in a good state. It is still fragmented and reflecting the old order. We appreciate the effort that the department has taken to correct the sad state of affair.
The Home Affairs National Identification System {HANIS} is the most critical project in the entire department. It will revolutionise the identification system in our country. This programme has been eight years in the making, we hope from now on, we will move with great speed in its implementation. We have mandated the Department to work together with SITA to come up with a clear plan of IT provision for the Department of Home Affairs. Madam Speaker I am aware that these meeting have not yet taken place and I am making this call to both the Department and SITA to meet and outline their work plan.
The understaffing of this programme is of great concern to us, as this is affecting the performance the staff in this programme. Training of staff is critical for the efficient rendering of the service to citizens Immigration.
The issue of immigration has been with humanity from time immemorial. This programme of the department is responsible for regulation of South Africans who want to visit other countries and those people who want to come and visit our country for what ever purpose. In reality this programme is responsible for the integrity of our country.
The problems at our border posts and other points of entry is a concern for us. The problems at Lindela detention centre are a source of serious concern for us.
I acknowledge the fact that an amendment to the Immigration Act is coming to parliament. I welcome this development.
Auxiliary and Associated Services.
This programme has four sub-programmes.
The shortage of staff and corruption in the Government Printing Works is serious. The absence of proper financial control is of great concern. The aging fleet of the Department hampers the delivery of service into deep rural areas of our country.
Having highlighted all the problems that we have talked about, it is not all doom and gloom. With the appointment the new Director General, the Department has come up with the new strategy to address all the issue I have highlighted.
Turnaround strategy.
This strategy is informed by the following principles:
This turnaround strategy has three core objectives.
People.
Infrastructure.
Technology {IT}.
The problem that is faced by the department is that its offices around the country are not connected to the main frame at the head office. For a department critical as this one cannot afford that.
All of this is possible if all of us join hands with the Minister, Deputy Minister and the Department of Home Affairs to clean up the department.
Corruption. {Venda}
The corruption within the department has been very rife and we welcome the establishment of the directorate that will focus to all aspects of corruption. We want to discourage all staff of the department and our people into involving themselves in corrupt practices.
I want to use this occasion to make a special call to all our people especially our young women, who are hooked in this scam of illegal marriages and those who have made this a money-making business. We applaud the role the department and the security agencies they have played in combating the practise. We call on our people to co-operate and to expose those who are involved in this practise.
Lastly I want to thank the role players who have helped the department in delivering its service to our people.